.................................
Midwest Girl
.................................

The best of me was formed in a midwest town
in summers swinging in hammocks
by lilac bushes and white shingled houses
the swing slowing to match thousand leaves
folding back in green fan dances, slowing
to the metronome of the bobwhite.
I dreamed of the coming pot roast potatoes
canned sweet pickles cucumbers dills
small plates of Amish extra sharp cheese
apple and cherry pies, grandma's feast
"more than enough" she said filling vases
from her half acre flower garden of mums,
and other flower names I couldn't pronounce yet.

After supper we played hide-n-seek in the cooling
mosquito night. I never told them
how weeping willow tresses kept me unfound.
I leaned my head against harsh bark, spied out
stars and bats in a black ballet listened to the far
and close far and close voices mixing with frog songs.

I was a blueberry girl with stained fingertips
drunk with morning glory dew, a chrysalis
held by hammocks summer after summer
forming this best me, this soul.

In this place of brown grass, dry air, imported grapes
a cult of cool I joined quickly a cloudless day past
wanting new essence accepted feet to squeeze out juices,
in this piece of puzzle laying along the blue Pacific
waiting for Mother's hands to break again and again
I remembered the swing of the limb where I rested.

Come, I am a midwest girl whose long neck bends
in reverie here or anywhere, my hair falls forward
you may hide beneath my tresses you may sleep
soul intact while bats cry on high or boughs break.
Come, I was stained in a grandmother's garden
for shadows earth cracking you name it. This best me
webbing you between my limbs swings to a far off call
a midwest father's curfew calling all is well, all is well.

.................................
Karla Rogers
.................................

 
Copyright © Karla Rogers
August 1998

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Copyright © 1998 A Small Garlic Press. All rights reserved.
Created 1998/4/29. Updated last on 2000/7/17.